Providence
by Anorwenne
Summary: One of many Anakin-doesn't-turn stories. Having discovered the true identity of Palpatine on one of his missions, Anakin is captured and, severely injured, is later rescued by Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. He doesn't know his future yet - but will it be the same if Fate interferes? Will the destiny give him another chance?


**I make no money from this story (alas!), yet nor do I intend to, and, as sad as it is, neither of this characters belong to me, George Lukas is the lucky guy. Have fun - and remember, never get addicted to fanfiction and don't let it interfere with your life. This is my final work in this area, and I'm happy to announce that I am - relatively - free of it. Cheers!**

"...watch it..."

"...the rest have fled in the remaining ship..."

"...hyperspace..."

"...hear me?"

"...Please, Anakin..."

The voices mingled in the blackness, trickling into the deepest layers of the fog surrounding his senses and thoughts but failing to penetrate it. The feeling eerily resembled that of coming to the water surface, but some instinct warned him that lucidity in the circumstances would hardly be any better, so he desperately struggled against the familiar presence, which was trying to pull him out of the blissful darkness.

"Anakin, can you hear me?"

Two cool palms were placed on his temples, and he almost leaned into the touch. The voice was soft, but his skull still throbbed with every sound.

"That's it, Anakin, open your eyes".

The noises around him became louder and more disquieting.

"We need to get out of here!" - someone shouted.

His lids felt incredibly heavy and Anakin only managed to squint at the person in front of him, when a nearly inaudible moan escaped his lips.

"Easy, Anakin, it'll be alright".

He felt an arm slide under his knees and a second later he was carried, gently, but, as this someone was walking fast, every movement pierced his body with pain. A thought finally burned its way to the surface of his consciousness: he needed to tell them, it was urgent, everything depended on it, but every movement of his lips felt unbelievably exhausting.

"The… Chan…sellor…he…"

"Sh-sh, Anakin, don't speak, you need to save your strength"

"Y'…don'… un'er…stand…"

He struggled weakly in the arms of the person who was carrying him, and they suddenly stopped, lowering him gently on the ground and holding him to prevent any movement.

"Here, let me do this… Go to sleep, Master, you need it," – a smaller hand caressed his brow, and he felt tiny waves of calm go through the Force. The blackness was no longer merely inviting, it flowed closer and overwhelmed his consciousness, when everything disappeared in the pleasant nothingness.

"It won't last long, Ahsoka. Your master is too strong for you; he'll wake up again in a matter of minutes."

"Sure, but at least we'll get him on the ship by that time."

Obi-Wan felt the pulse on the young man's neck, it fluttered, uncertain and erratic.

"We must hurry; the whole thing certainly doesn't look so good."

Ahsoka set the coordinates for Coruscant and looked at the monitor: fifteen hours. A standard ship, only average facilities – and who knows what those beasts had managed to do to Anakin during that tantalizingly long week. Still, there was no time for pondering over what-would-be-better. They had to do everything possible, and her help was needed.

Obi-Wan was setting Anakin, who looked completely unresponsive, on the couch in the bay. Together they began undressing him in order to assess the injuries. As soon as she tried to pull the boot off his left leg, he moaned and bucked, his eyes snapping open, though he didn't seem to understand what was going on.

"Wh… whe…re… we…" – he mumbled, looking confusedly at the blurred figures in front of him.

"You're safe, Anakin, it'll be alright", - said Obi-Wan, pushing stray curls off his brow and frowning at its warmth and the glazed expression of his friend's eyes.

Surprisingly, Anakin did seem to recognize them, since his lips curved in a weak smile. "You…found me…" – he managed, but these words must have caused him an incredible effort, and his body slackened and relaxed as he drifted back into unconsciousness.

They didn't take the shackles off his wrists when they carried him to the ship, hoping those would prevent the bleeding, and now when Ahsoka carefully cut the cold rough metal, the sight horrified them both. She held the supplies – and sometimes the struggling Anakin who tried to pull away when the stinging sensation became worse, - watching the elder Jedi clean the lacerations with a disinfectant and dress her Master's wrists with soft gauze. After they had tended the blaster and lightsaber burns and Obi-Wan finally managed (despite the latter's constant tossing) to immobilize the young man's foot, which was twisted and apparently hurt a great deal, the only thing left was watching and waiting, hoping that the extent of Anakin's injuries ended here. However, there was obviously more to it, since his exhaustion was the result of Force knows how many days without food or water – or rest, when it comes to it, but the only solution available was a rehydration unit and a bandage securing his hand to the bed so that he wouldn't pull the needle out. The rest was – and the two Jedi hated the expression at the moment – up to the Force and the healers, when they reached Coruscant.

By nightfall – or so was what the clock on the monitor said – Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were utterly exhausted, and, after setting the machine to monitor Anakin's vitals, Obi-Wan settled to keep watch and sent the Padawan to catch a nap. Ahsoka agreed only on the condition they took turns watching and set her alarm clock, since, weary as she was, no way was the girl going to sleep the whole night when Anakin might need her.

When the clock rang, she woke up and was glad that she went to bed in her clothes. It really felt like she'd only closed her eyes. She tumbled to the bay. Obi-Wan was wiping the young man's brow with a wet cloth, Anakin didn't move and his face looked oddly pale and thin in the flickering lights of different machines.

"Any change?"

"None so far. That's probably for the best, he's stable for now. We're lucky if we managed to get him to Coruscant in the same condition", sighed Obi-Wan grimly, reaching to feel the young man's pulse.

"What's wrong?"

"Something doesn't feel right about him. Who knows what's lingering in his system, whatever drugs or viruses. He's feverish –at the least. Maybe just a cold or some infection, but it might be serious. And we don't have any equipment to check that and know for sure," – he stood up and stretched. – "If anything happens, call me at once".

"Sure, Master".

She must have dozed off, entranced by the dim flickering, and was jolted awake by a weak moan. Anakin was mumbling incoherently and tossing restlessly on his bed.

"No… please… don't… It can't be… I can't do this… I just want to save her, I can't kill them, please…"

Ahsoka rushed to his side as his words became louder and more frantic. She needed to get Obi-Wan, that was for sure, but how, when she certainly couldn't leave her master alone in a state like that.

"Master, it's just a dream", - she took his hand and squeezed it slightly. "You don't need to do anything, go to sleep, you need rest", - she whispered. "Please, Master".

The last phrase had a completely unexpected effect on Anakin. He struggled desperately, as if trying to shield his face from a sight he couldn't endure and tears began to flow down his cheeks: "NO! Please, go… Leave me… I don't want to kill you… He can't make me… Please, I'm sorry, please, no, let me go, please".

"Master Obi-Wan, please, come, we need to do something!"

Her frightened scream seemed to have plunged Anakin even deeper in the horrors of his delirium.

"Obi-Wan, no! Don't leave me here! I never betrayed you! It's hot, please, don't go!"

She fought to hold him still, constantly repeating all possible words of comfort she could think of, and sighing in relief when she heard Obi-Wan rushing into the bay.

"What happened?"

"Maybe a nightmare. I can't calm him down"

"It burns… Please, Obi-Wan… it hurts so much… so hot… help… Please!" – he moaned as sweat trickled down his brow, stinging his eyes, and Ahsoka rewetted the cloth and began wiping his forehead while Obi-Wan tried to calm his friend down.

"Anakin, listen to me, it's only a dream, you are with us, you're safe!"

"No", - Anakin sobbed, trying to pull away, fighting Obi-Wan's hands as violently as the strength left in him allowed. "Don't touch me… Let me go! Get off!" – he lashed out with the Force, and even in his weakened state managed to sweep the equipment off the table by his bed.

"Anakin, it's me, it's Obi-Wan!"

"No… he doesn't know me anymore… You did this! Let me go!"

"Anakin, please…" – he turned to Ahsoka, - "We need to restrain him, otherwise he'll hurt himself."

"Maybe a hypo?"

Obi-Wan looked at the monitors, then at Anakin, who was groaning and pleading, lost in some nightmare or vision, and frowned:

"Probably both."

Anakin moaned and struggled, batting away their hands as the hypo hissed against his neck, but Ahsoka and Obi-Wan held him firmly and more easily as the drug took effect and secured his wrists and ankles with soft bandages. But instead of having a calming effect, the hypo seemed to only have relaxed his body, for his desperate pleas continued with renewed strength.

"Padme… I wanted to save her… no…I'll never serve you… No! Please… I'm sorry… please…"

"Master, it's okay. You'll be alright, please, wake up!" – Ahsoka put her hand on his brow and nearly gasped at the heat. – "Master Obi-Wan, he's burning up!"

Anakin suddenly seized her wrist, holding onto it as if it was a lifeline: "Padme… help me… I'm sorry… I didn't want to… didn't mean it… Don't leave me, please!"

"It'll be fine, Master, I'm not going anywhere."

Anakin's body was shaking with sobs of relief, he was gasping for breath, his lips moving inaudibly. He cried out at the touch of an ice-pack, which Obi-Wan set on his forehead: "Please…"

"I'm not going to hurt you, Anakin, we're only trying to make you feel better"

The ice-pack did nearly nothing to improve their friend's condition. That left only one option: a cold bath. Getting Anakin into the tub proved to be extremely exhausting. When they finally put him back on the bed, wrapping his body in wet cloth, they own garments were soaked and Anakin, apparently as worn down as they by his incessant struggling and stirring, tossed feebly on the sheets, mumbling words they couldn't catch and pulling at the newly set up restraints. His face looked gaunt, with his curls wet from water and soaked in sweat plastered to his skin. Suddenly, his lids fluttered and he opened his eyes, though there was still no recognition in his glance.

"Anakin?"

Anakin tried to say something but his throat was so dry that only a rasp came out and coughs wracked his body, the stinging in his throat dulling all his senses. He felt a hand supporting his head when a cool brim of a glass was brought to his lips and he tasted water on his tongue. Fresh liquid was so pleasant that he swallowed as much as he could, gasping and choking.

"Easy, Anakin, just sip it slowly," – chuckled Obi-Wan, relieved to see that his friend was finally coherent.

"Obi-Wan?" – he breathed again , as if not believing his own eyes. – "Why… why are you here?"

"I never left you, Anakin, nor am I intending to", Obi-Wan returned the glass to the nightstand, crouched near the bed and touched his cheek.

"But… you said…"- Anakin's throat constricted and he couldn't continue as tears began to flow again. "No… I saw you…"

"It was a dream, Anakin. You were delirious because of the fever."

"No… you don't understand… after all I've done… you…"

"You haven't done anything wrong, Anakin. The mission…"

"No… on Mustafar… I…" – he squeezed his eyes shut, breathing heavily. "I killed them all, Obi-Wan… I killed her!"

"Whom?"

"Padme… when you came to Mustafar…"

"We've never been to Mustafar, Anakin," – Obi-Wan sounded surprised but firm. – "You never killed anyone."

"No! He… told me… I pledged myself to him to save Padme and he…" – Anakin's hands clawed at his shirt collar as he was gasping for breath. He felt as if some weight was growing heavier and heavier on his chest. He was vaguely of someone calling him, hands holding his face as a hypo was pressed against his neck, stinging pain and cool waves of indifference wrapping around his mind. He drew a breath, surprised at how easy it suddenly was, relishing the cool fresh air, and opened his eyes, meeting the concerned glance of Obi-Wan and Ahsoka's frightened expression.

"That's it, Anakin, keep breathing," – Obi-Wan's calloused hand brushed sweaty curls from his brow. – "Whatever it was that you saw, nothing of it has happened."

Suddenly Anakin remembered:

"Palpatine! He's the Sith Lord! I saw his hologram, he was talking to Dooku. He…"

Even though the drug was still coursing through his body, he started struggling for breath again.

"Don't, Anakin. Don't talk. Show me", - said Obi-Wan, touching his temples with his hands. "Relax, it isn't going to hurt."

Anakin was silent while Obi-Wan watched the memories of the vision, and only whimpered softly, tears leaking out of the corners of his eyes. Obi-Wan's face was grave, and when he finally finished, shock and horror in his glance were replaced by concern.

"Leave now. Don't explain," – rasped Anakin, wincing when pain lanced through his wrist as he tried to move his arm. Ahsoka looked questioningly at Obi-Wan and then undid the restraints on his wrists, taking his hand into her own.

"I'm not leaving you, Anakin," – exclaimed Obi-Wan. – "Even if it was a vision, none of that has happened yet, I'm going to help you. It's the will of the Force that you saw it, Anakin. You're meant to prevent it from happening."

"You… still with me?"

"Of course, Anakin. Look at me," – Obi-Wan touched his friend's chin and met his gaze. – "I'll be there for you."

"Me too," – smiled Ahsoka, squeezing his hand.

"Hey, Snips", - he grinned weakly, but his eyes were sad and tired. – "Yeah… Dunno what I would've done without you guys."

Later Anakin often recalled this strange flight to Coruscant. His memories were fuzzy, but everything that happened after that… actually decided his fate. Palpatine was destroyed, the Order remained, and even though his relationship with Padme was no longer a secret, that didn't hamper his career as a Jedi. And no-one apart from Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and himself – and maybe the wise Yoda who seemed to know practically everything – ever learned what happened that long night on the small spaceship. And no-one else ever came to think that things could have been very different, and that his future was shaped by himself, his friends – and the will of some power which gave him a chance to be happy.


End file.
